'Town hall,' house parties put immigration issues in spotlight

Advocates and immigrant families are joining in a telephonic "town hall" conference that they hope will help them ignite the movement for legislative change in communities across the nation.

They will listen to Reps. Luis Gutierrez, Nydia Velazquez and RaM-zl Grijalva, Hispanic members of Congress who are behind reform efforts that would offer legalization to millions of undocumented immigrants.

Advocates in the Orlando area will gather for "house parties" in Winter Park, Kissimmee and Orlando, joining others in Tampa, Miami and cities throughout the nation who will be part of the conference.

Organizers say they want to highlight the plight of immigrants. They also are energized about recent hints from the current administration that it remains committed to reform efforts.

"We want immigration reform in which there will be humane treatment for individuals who are simply looking for a path to legalization, and we want the anti-immigrant sentiment and its campaign of hate to stop," said Denise VelM-azquez, an Orlando activist who is Florida director of advocacy group Democracia USA. "It's a human-rights and human-dignity issue."